Indian Car Blog – Carazoo.com

Maruti Suzuki Exports Its One Millionth Vehicle

Maruti Suzuki, India’s number one automobile manufacturer has again proved to be the market leader in the car segment both in terms of vehicles sold and revenue earned by exporting its one millionth vehicle today which would be sold in Denmark.

Maruti Suzuki, earlier known as Maruti Udyog Limited till 2007, brought revolution in automobile industry in India. It occupies a noteworthy position in Indian car market owing to its durability, longetivity and reliability which has helped Maruti Suzuki export its one millionth vehicle, the alluring red colored A-star to Denmark. The A-star along with 2,200 other vehicles left the mundra coast line for various international destinations including Switzerland, Malta, Sweden in Europe and Algeria, Egypt and Morocco in the non European destinations.

“A million cars in overseas markets is a significant milestone for us. Two years back, Europe was a strong destination for us. We have aligned our exports strategy in line with the changed scenario in exports market. The market for us has shifted significantly from Europe to non-European countries. While the A-star, marketed under ‘Suzuki Alto’ and ‘Suzuki Celerio’ badge in international markets was doing well, we also worked on identifying alternate non European markets. This strategy worked in our favour and helped us retain our export numbers after European nations withdrew the scrappage incentives. We are happy that cars manufactured at Maruti Suzuki India have found good customer acceptance in overseas markets.” Said Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited.

Algeria has become the only country to import over 100,000 units from Maruti Suzuki with this shipment. Maruti Suzuki’s total export has been 1.47 lakh units in 2009- 2010, out of which over 75% were to Europe. By 2011-12 the share of non-EU export sales shot up sharply from 23 per cent to 66 per cent. In the recent future, Maruti Suzuki plans to spread its wings in the ASEAN automotive market.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Monday, April 30th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 27, 2012

Skoda Introduces The Fabia Scout Variant To The Fabia Model Line

Skoda Auto India had added a new variant, the Fabia Scout, to its array of Fabia models. The Fabia Scout is loaded with many features with many first time features in the segment.

The Skoda Fabia Scout is a thrilling surprise when it comes to performance. It is available in both petrol and diesel engine option. The 1.2 Litre DOHC petrol engine churns out 75 bhp at 5400 rpm with a maximum torque of 110 Nm @ 3750 rpm. The 1.2 Litre high-pressure direct injection system diesel engine churns out 75 bhp @ 4200 rpm with a maximum torque of 180 Nm @ 2000 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission which offers incessant shifts. The suspension system of the Fabia Scout has been designed and developed for a fantastic driving comfort. It comprises of McPherson suspension with lower triangular links and torsion stabilizer in the front and compound link crank-axle at the rear. It is priced at 6.79 Lacs ex showroom Delhi.

The Skoda Fabia Scout has a perfect amalgamation of style and substance. The exterior is fantastic with chrome trim on radiator grille. The body colored bumpers with protective cladding and body colored external mirrors and door handles impart a strong and refined statement. The interior is attractive with chrome decor for gear-shift lever, air-conditioning duct sliders, locking button of hand-brake lever, Ivory interior: dual tone Onyx/Ivory soft dashboard, Ivory centre console and door panels and Ivory upholstery. The other first time features in this segment present in Scout are projector headlamps, Front bumper with spoiler, rear bumper with diffuser, peripheral protective cladding, front and rear door sill trims and stainless steel pedal set.

Safety is also considered as an important parameter in the automobile market as fuel economy and performance for selling a car. The Skoda Fabia Scout is equipped with many safety features which includes halogen projector headlights with manual leveling, halogen headlights with manual leveling, front fog lights, rear fog light, high level third brake light, anti-glare interior rear view mirror, driver front airbag, front passenger front airbag, height-adjustable three-point seatbelts at front, two three-point outer seatbelts and centre lap belt at rear, height adjustable head restraints at front as well as rear, rough road package, child-proof rear door as well as window locking, door-open indicator and emergency triangle in the luggage compartment and Engine immobiliser with floating code system.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Friday, April 27th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 24, 2012

Volvo Auto India Bagged The Prestigious Best Safety Award 2012

Volvo Auto India has won the Best Safety Award by Auto India Best Brand Awards 2012 second time consecutively. Tomas Ernberg, Managing Director of Volvo Auto India received the prestigious award in Mumbai.

The Volvo Auto India, a fast-growing luxury car company in India, clinched this much coveted award for its safety quotient which is present in all its cars- more significantly the “Laser Assisted Automated Braking (city safety)” that makes driving more pleasurable in Indian terrains by engaging the brakes whenever the driver fails to respond in order to prevent a crash. The “Turn with Steering Lights (Active Bending Lights)”, which keeps the driver safe, adds to its intuitive technology.

Tomas Ernberg said “I am particularly happy as this award has recognized our brand twice in a row for an aspect that forms the core of all our product designs – Safety. I have been in India less than a year and am still to learn a lot about this market and it is only fair for me to admit that this is an exceptionally encouraging moment. The acceptance that this award entails is vital for a company like us that strives to bring the best of world-class products to customers.”

Volvo Auto India has won 12 coveted awards during 2011-2012. The “Best Safety Award” is a reader’s choice award which has been voted by more than 1700 readers.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Tuesday, April 24th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 20, 2012

Mahindra Adventure Team sweeps top positions at Dakshin Dare Rally 2012

The top titles of Dakshin Dare Rally 2012 were won by Team Mahindra Adventure in the 4th edition of the ardous five-day rally that concluded in Bangalore.

The robust Mahindra XUV 500 and the strong determination showed by its drivers, National Champion Gaurav Gill (co–driver Musa Sheriff) and Lohit Urs (co-driver Chipong Chiwan) helped them grab the top two positions in the Ultimate (Extreme) category.

Sanjay Takale (co-driver Musthafa) and Karthick Maurthi (co-driver Sankar Anand), behind the wheels of Mahindra Scorpios, were the other drivers who made this a memorable rally for the Team Mahindra Adventure zooming to the top two positions in the Endurance category. Whereas in the Corporate category, K.S. Venkatesh (co-driver Chandra Sekaran) occupied the first position driving his powerful Mahindra Thar.

Mr. Vivek Nayer, Sr. Vice-President, Marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “This unprecedented clean sweep by Mahindra vehicles is a testimony to the tough and rugged ‘Mahindra DNA’. Our vehicles have conquered the southern terrain with dogged determination and confidence, creating history in Indian motor sports. We are proud to have won one of the toughest rallies, and our winning teams deserve special mention for their unstinted passion to take on challenges, their spirit of adventure and their exceptional desire to win.”

posted by somdatta.basu @ Friday, April 20th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 20, 2012

10,000 Developers at Continental Create Smart Software for Cars of the Future

Continental, International automotive supplier, has been focusing on high-quality and ingenious software development teams at its 80 development locations spread across 23 countries. Software is an important component of future innovations for Continental. The suppliers will rely on the expertise of the developers of this software in order to provide automotive manufacturers worldwide with new functions in the domain of safety, efficiency and comfort.

“304 million product deliveries in 2011 in the Interior Division alone are testament to Continental’s outstanding productivity. And the relevance of software for our products is increasing year by year. It is the key to safe, energy-saving, comfortable and cost-efficient vehicles worldwide,” explained Helmut Matschi, member of the Continental AG Executive Board and head of the Interior Division, at CeBIT 2012 in Hanover. ‘Today, we already have more than 10,000 software developers working on new algorithms to find a solution to the complex requirements in modern vehicle systems”.“In view of the changing requirements with regard to the level of networking in automotive systems, we are again strongly increasing the number of software developers at the company over the next few years,” explains Helmut Matschi.

The “quality” factor of software functions in vehicle plays an important role for Continental. Whenever we enter into the car, we expect everything to work properly. This depicts the need of software. The software have become an important part therefore the developers are investing a lot in these. Since the past few years Electronic Stability Control, body control units or Digital Tachograph has been very successful.

Continental offers an array of products which depicts how wide-ranging the challenges for software developers are. Software projects range from developing an in-car infotainment system to an engine or transmission control unit. The EMS 3 (engine management system), which was one of the first projects developed by Continental as a part of the AUTOSAR Architecture, illustrated that high performance is possible even in standardized environments. It is supported by rapid and hardware related operating system which delivers the respective optimum settings for the combustion process in real time.

Continental is a member of various committees and brings quality assurance and software standardization in the automotive industry. Its activities include standardizing development process projects, standardizing communication protocol projects and software functionalities and architecture projects.
“We want to standardize everything relating to software and hardware that has no relevance for vehicle and brand differentiation. But in all those areas where the vehicle manufacturer can set itself apart considerably from its competitors, we will of course design products specifically for each manufacturer,” stresses Helmut Matschi.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Friday, April 20th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 18, 2012

Toyota Organizes “Summer Holiday” Campaign 2012

Toyota has organized its “

from 16th April to 15th May 2012 which will provide free campaign with free check up and custom made offers for all Toyota models as a part of its promotional activity.

Toyota is preparing its cars for a smooth, comfortable, hassle-free, and enjoyable ride during summers by conducting the month-long campaign across Toyota dealerships. Toyota is well known in the automobile segment owing to its quality products and Q class service experience. This tradition is being maintained by the service campaign across all the dealerships in South, West and Eastern parts of India.

The campaign is going to provide free 20 point check to all the customers of Toyota visiting the Toyota dealerships. The customers will also be eligible to avail various custom made offers such as Free UV Protection on Parts Packages, impressive discounts on accessories and insurance renewal offers. There will be lucky draw for the chauffeurs daily.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director, TKM, said, “Based on our ‘Customer First’ approach, we at Toyota believe in reinventing different ways to reach out to our customers with Toyota’s promise of Q Class Service. After an overwhelming customer response on ‘Suhana Summer Campaign’ last year, we thought it would be the right time to conduct the campaign again this year. We have timed this service campaign to correspond with the summer holidays in India. The campaign will help our customers to service their cars and gear up their vehicles for long journeys, ensuring safe, comfortable and trouble free drives during this summer season.”

posted by somdatta.basu @ Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 13, 2012

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Launched

Maruti Suzuki, India’s number one automobile manufacturer is the market leader in the car segment both in terms of number of vehicles sold and revenue earned. Maruti occupies a noteworthy position in the Indian car market due to its durability, longevity and reliability. Maruti Suzuki has launched its Life Utility Vehicle, Ertiga, on Thursday in New Delhi and unveiled it on Friday in Bangalore. “Ertiga holds big significance for Maruti Suzuki in India and for Suzuki Motor Corporation for the global markets,” Nakanishi had said at the Auto Expo in January.

The Ertiga marks the entry of Maruti Suzuki in the Utility Vehicle segment. It is available in an array of seven colors that are serene blue, ecru beige, firebrick red, granite grey, silky silver, superior white and dusky brown.

Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is a thrilling surprise when it comes to performance. The petrol variant is equipped with 1.4 litre K14B VVT engine which churns out 93.7 bhp @ 6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 130 Nm @ 4000 rpm whereas the diesel variant is loaded with 1.3 litre DDiS engine which gives out 88.7 bhp @ 4000 rpm and a maximum torque of 200 Nm @ 1750 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5 speed manual transmission which offers incessant shifts. It offers high cruising speeds and better highway mileage. The petrol variant offers a mileage of 16 kmpl whereas the diesel variant offers a mileage of 20.77 kmpl. The suspension system comprises of MacPherson Strut in the front and Torsion beam at the rear.

The seven seater Ertiga has a perfect amalgamation of style and substance with its bold design and stylish body graphics that beholds the traditional appeal of a MUV. The exterior is attractive with stylish cluster lamps, aerodynamic styling, smart side view mirrors, in-built fog lamps and classy tail lamps. It sits on the 15-inches alloy wheels which offer robust and aggressive look to the car. The interior is luxurious with spacious. There are spaces for easy access to items such as sunglasses, drinks and maps, and also covered storage for valuables. There are sporty dashboard, in-built music system and chrome door handles and silver trims which adds to the beauty of the interiors.

The Ertiga is loaded with many safety features that include driver and passenger airbag, ABS with brake assist and EBD, optimized strength and weight and 3-point ELR seatbelts.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Friday, April 13th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 12, 2012

Mercedes-Benz India Opens a New Dealership in Bengaluru

Mercedes-Benz, the luxury car maker, has aggrandized its footprints in Bengaluru which is the largest Mercedes-Benz facility in Karnataka spread over 65,000 sq. ft. area with a plan of investing Rs. 300 million towards Sales and Services including multi-level showroom displaying a range of Mercedes-Benz’s cars, accessory zones, exclusive customer lounge with Café-Mercedes and also pre-owned car section.

Mercedes-Benz inaugurated its new state-of-the–art dealership Akshaya Motors in Mysore road, Bangalore. Mr. Peter Honegg, Managing Director & CEO Mercedes-Benz India and Mr. MP Shyam, Managing Director, Akshaya Motors inaugrated the new 3S dealership. Mr. Peter Honegg said that “Inauguration of Akshaya Motors reaffirms Mercedes-Benz India’s constant endeavour of delighting the customers with exciting product offerings and simultaneously giving them an unparalleled luxury car ownership experience, through our superlative after-sales network. Our second state-of-the-art dealership in Bengaluru is part of our ‘Go to Customer’ strategy which is defining newer benchmark for the luxury car industry in India and we are committed to reaching out and delighting more customers and expanding our footprints to more Indian cities”.

The 3S facility of Akshaya Motors has been ceated in twelve months which has a well-structured showroom and workshop. It comprises of an array of features which includes a Drive-in valet service, customer lounge with Café-Mercedes along with the display of fascinating range of Mercedes-Benz cars, 29 bays taking care of customer service requirements, general repairs and accident jobs, spares and round the clock after sales support. The dealership is also going to provide services for insurance, car loans and even car leasing for a peaceful and hassle-free purchase experience. The sales, after-sales and service requirements of the customers will be handled by the dedicated and qualified personnel at Akshaya Motors. Akshaya Motors is endowed with highest quality Mercedes-Benz equipments and trained manpower. It is built at par with the brand’s rigorous global benchmark.

Mercedes-Benz enjoys a network spread across 31 cities with more than 70 touch-points across India. This is its second dealership in Bengaluru.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Thursday, April 12th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 10, 2012

Hyundai Appoints Rakesh Srivastava as VP National Sales

Hyundai Motor India Limited, the largest passenger car exporter and the second largest car manufacturer in India, has appointed Mr. Rakesh Srivastava as Vice President National Sales.

HMIL presently markets eight passenger car models across segments — in the A2 segment it has the Eon, Santro, i10 and the i20, in the A3 segment the Accent and the Verna, in the A5 segment Sonata and in the SUV segment the Santa Fe.

Mr. Srivastava has served as a Chief General Manager at Maruti Suzuki India Limited for the past 15 years prior to joining HMIL. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, he has 24 years of experience and has also worked in Goodlass Nerolac Paints Ltd and GTC industries Ltd.
Commenting on Mr. Srivastava’s appointment, Mr. Arvind Saxena, Director – Marketing and Sales HMIL said, “We welcome Mr. Srivastava to HMIL. With his extensive knowledge of the industry we are confident that he will ably contribute with his experience in his new role.”

posted by somdatta.basu @ Tuesday, April 10th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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April 4, 2012

Nissan India Posts Record 180 Percent Growth in March

Nissan Motor India Private Ltd. had record breaking sale in India with 5880 units sold in March which has been the highest ever monthly sale. This depicts a 180% increase in the March 2011 in which the sale has hit 2101 units. The number of units sold in the last month was 5371. The 3 consecutive months, starting from January 2012, Nissan has shown good sale report where it has sold more than 5000 units every month demonstrating its fast growing market penetration in India.

NMIPL sold 33275 cars this year which is exorbitantly high as compared to 13043 units sold in the whole year of 2011. The Nissan Sunny contributes to a larger extent accounting to 14164 units in the seven months after its launch in September 2011. The Nissan Micra was sold 18650 units during the whole year 2011-2012 against 12,315 units in the previous year and the other models sold 461 units.

Mr Ishida Takayuki, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. said: “Our sales performance over the past 12 months suggests that Nissan as a brand is continuously capturing market share in India. Breaking the 5,000 sales mark after just 20 months of operation, and repeating the feat for three successive months is a milestone in our continuing development in what is one of Nissan’s most strategically important markets.”

The affordable and innovative models of Nissan in the domestic market have fueled sales over the past year and locally-manufactured models account for more than 90% of the total sales which are being manufactured at the Oragadam plant in Chennai. A new entity “Evalia” will be added in its array of cars from this autumn.

Mr G.M. Singh, Vice Chairman & MD, Hover Automotive India (HAI), Nissan’s sales and marketing partner in India, said: “The unprecedented sales figures are indicative of growing customer satisfaction and faith in the Nissan brand and Nissan is committed to launching innovative models in the market as part of its strategy for India. The Nisan Sunny and Micra have already gained wide acceptance as high quality cars that are accessible and reliable and we look forward to reaching greater heights in our journey in India during the next twelve months.”

The Sunny and Micra, Nissan’s ‘homegrown’ products have received accolades from the automobile reviewers and customers. Sunny has received the Economic Times Zigwheels Award as the ‘Best Entry Sedan’ of the year whereas Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study selected Micra as the top car in the premium compact segment. The record sales of these two models have proved that they are the most preferred cars in their respective segments.